Is there an offical Imperial Calendar in existance?

I want to schedule events for the current campain, (as in: If the Acolytes do nothing Evil Cult will perfrom Evil on this date) but don;t particualry want to use a real calendar, as it doesn't really seem very '40k'.

Agmar_Strick said:

There's a standardised method of measuring dates, but for the most part, worlds will use local calendars based on the years and seasons they have to endure. The standard method is used variously by the Administratum and anyone else for whom interplanetary travel is reasonably common.

This method, described in several 40k rulebooks, works as follows:

1.247.815M41

The first digit is an administrative check digit, placed to give an indication of the accuracy of the information and the source's distance from Terra, with 1 being the most accurate and on Terra itself, and 0 being "we're virtually guessing here".

The next three are the chronosegment - a period of time equal to 1/1000th of a Terran Standard year (a few seconds shy of 8 hours and 46 minutes). Most people don't bother with these except on official documents and the like.

The three after that are the year, or rather, the last three digits of the year - the millennium is considered seperately. Many people on busy or relatively cosmopolitan worlds refer to the standard year, without recourse to the millennium (the number following the M) or the chronosegment.

So, with all that in mind, the date at the time of writing (and from my current position) would be 1.005.009.M3 - the 5th chronosegment of the 9th year of the 3rd Millennium, as recorded accurately and precisely on Terra itself.

N0-1_H3r3 said:

For simplicity's sake, we'll call you confused.

Oly said:

Nope. It'd be 000.M4 - rather than being the thousandth year of the 3rd Millennium (technically true, but inconvenient for this system), it's the zeroth year of the 4th Millennium.

At least, that's how I think it works.

And dare I say that when people of the 41st millenium discuss wether the new millenium starts in 2000 or 2001, billions will burn on the pyres as heretics.

N0-1_H3r3 said:

That's pretty much right. Actually, there was a slight error earlier explaining the system, but it was basically right. Without wanting to blow my own trumpet too much, I've done a work-up based on Rick Priestley's March of Time article here . I know, I should update that blog with new material. I'll get round to it...

N0-1_H3r3 said:

Perhaps the most intersting "grimdark" (OFFS) feature of the 40k universe is that it breaks the idea of "Work. Sleep, Play" into the idea that the "day" is singular. Erm, but maybe that's must me.

Kage

Hmmm, I know the date schema. I was hoping for a actual calendar, with months and weeks. But it would seem there is none.

Seems a bit of a tall stretch, surely? After all, it's asking for generalisation when the question seems to be somewhat specific...? After all, you might as well ask about what is the "average Chapter?"

Kage

I was coming to the forum to ask about dates myself, as I need to prepare a series of reports over a period of around 2 years that the PCs find.

your article is great - I can now make a cool set.

One question which you may not know - the degree of accuracy is based on the system. If the recorder is isolated - locked in a dungeon and keeping track of days by X's on a wall - would they list the accuracy differently because they are out of contact?

dugfromthearth said:

It would all depend. A check number could be given retrospectively if the first thing the person recording does is determine the official date when they leave the dungeon. I think that would only apply if that person has an accurate way of determing the time though.

If there is no accurate way to measure time, or the person making the recordings dies while locked up, the date would need a check number of 9 when officially recorded by someone else.

At least that's my take on it anyway.

Agmar_Strick said:

You asked for the Imperial calendar. If you want days and weeks, you're looking at the planetary or, at most, system level.

Cagreth said:

okay so if they find the notes from someone locked in isolation (or in a mine, etc) the notes should have the date recorded with a 9 indicating they are just guessing - I'll go with that.

Well probably. but you never know, a calendar might be standard with adjusted length of hours and number of days in each month or somesuch. A situation similar to the soviet union might exist, where there is only one timezone.

I didn't think such a thing existed, but you never know until you ask.

Technically speaking, the Imperial calendrical system is only used in official Imperial records. If someone is using the official imperial dating system, they're either making an official document or are an incredible pedant. Normally, they'd use the local calendar, which would then be converted for the Inquisitorial records.

So, check number:

For check numbers 0-1 means that the event happened on Terra or in the Sol system.

A 2 means that the event occurred while someone present for the event was in direct psychic contact with Terra or the Sol system.

A 3 means that an individual or organization present was in psychic contact with a 2 source while the event occurred.

A 4 means that the individual or organization was in contact with a 3 OR 2 source.

A 5 means that the individual or organization was in contact with a 4 source.

A 6 means that the individual or organization was in contact with a 5 source.

7, 8, and 9 class sources are somewhat subjective.

A 7 means that the event in question occured within 10 years of the date listed in the rest of the Imperial date.

An 8 means that the event occured within 20 years of the date.

A 9 class source is special. A 9-class source is an approximated date, and is usually used when recording a date within Warp travel or while on a planet that does not use the Imperial system.

Then, the year segment:

To figure out your Imperial Year Segment, take the day of the year, and multiple by 24. This will give you the
number of hours in the year at 00:00 of that day. Divide that number by 8.76; this gives you the year segment at 00:00 of that day. Subtract 1 for every 8.76 hours it is BEFORE 00:00. Remember that the Imperial Calendar uses a Terran year!

Then the year, and the millennium.

This post was made at 0/022.008M3

You can find out all about the Imperial Calendar at http://www.scholaprogenium.com/calendar.html

...or look at a canon timeline www.scholaprogenium.com/timeline.html